The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-01

particular one, and he thought nothing
COuli slale his thirst like that And un-
IcSS your soul and mine can get access to
the fountain open for sin and unclean-
ness We must die. That fountain is the
well Of Bethlehem. 1t was dug in the
night. 1t was dug by the light of Ian
tcrE-thc star that hung down over the
manger. 1t was dug, not at the gate of
Caesars S palaces, not in the park of Jc-
rusalcm 6lrgain maker. Ii was dug in Il
barn. Tho camcIs lifted their weary
heads to listen rs the work went on. The
shepherds, unable TO sleep, because the
heavens We're filed with bands Of music,
came down TO see the opening of the
well The angels of God at the first
gJsh of the living water, dipped their
chaliccS of JOY into it. and drank to the
health of earth and heaven as they crica:
GLORY to God in the highest. and on
earth peace. Sometimes III our modern
barns the water IS brought through the
pipes of the city to the very n0strils of
the horses or cattle; but this well in the
B thlehem barn was not so much for the
beasts that perish rs for our race, thirst
smittcn, desert Travelled and simeon
stoop down and drink today out Of that
Bethlehem WE'LL
"As the hart parteth after the water
brooks, SO my soul panteth after Thee. O
God!' You would get a better under
standing of this amidst the Adirondacks
in summer time. Here comes a swift
footed deer. The hounds are close on
the track; it has lraled chasns and scaled
cliffs: 1t is tagged out; its ewes are rolling
in death; its tongue is lollinS from lis foam
ing mouth. Faster the deer. faster the
dogs, until it plunGes into Schroon lake.
and the hounds can follow it no farther,
and it puts dGwn its head ard mouth
until the nostril is clean submerged in lie
cool wave. and understand il: "As the
hart panteth for the water brook. so
panteth my soul after Thee, o God"
Oh, brig me water from that wcll!
Little child, who has learned Of jesus in
the Sabbath school. bring me some Of that
Irving water Old man. who fifty years
ago didst find the we'll bring me some ot
that water. Stranger il 4 strange land,
who used to hear sung amidst the High
lands Of Scotland, to the tune of ''I;oHnie
Doom. The Star, the Star Of Bethle
hem" bring me some of that water.
WhosCever drinketh of that water shall
never thirst. "Ol, that one would give
me drink of the water OF the well of
Bethlehem, which is by the gate
Again, this Gospel well, like the one
spoken of in tho text, is captured well.
David remembered the time when that
good water of Bethlehem was in The pos
session Of his ancestors. HIS father drank
there. his mother drank there. He re-
membercd how the water tasted when he
was boy, and came up there from play.
We never forget the old we'll we used to
drink out of when we were boys or girls.
There was something in it that blessed
the lips and refreshed the brow better
than ANYTHING VIC have found since. As
we think of that dear old well the memo
ries of the past flow into each other like
crystalline drops, sun Glinted, and all the
more as we remember that the bands HAT
used TO lay hold the rope and the hearts
that beat against the well curb are still
now. We never get over these reminiS-
cerces. George p. Morris, the great
song writer Of this country, once said to
me that his song, "WooGman, Spare That
Tree, - was sung in a great concert hail.
and the memories of early lie We're 50
wrought upon the audience Ivy that song
that, after the singing was done, an aged
man arose in the audience, overwhelmed
with emotion, and said, Sir, will y0u
please to tell me whether the woodman
really spared that tree:' We never for
get the tree under which we played. We
never forget the fountain at which VIC
drank. Alas for the man who has IL
early memories!
David thought Of that well. that boy
hood well. and he wanted q drink OF it,
but he remembered that the Philstines
had cartured it. When those thrc" man
tried TO como up to the well in behalf Of
David they saw swords cleaning around
about it. And this is truc Of this
Gospel we'll. The Pliilistinc5 have at
times captured il. When we come 70 take
a full, old fashioned drink of pardon and
comfort, do not their swords Of indigna-
ton and sarcasm Sash? Why, the sheptics
tell us that we cannot come to that fOun-
tain! They say the water is not It to
drink anyhow. IF you are really thirsty
now. there is the we'll of philosophy, there
science" They try 20 substitute, Instead
of our boyhood faith, Il modern mixture.
They say great many beautiful things
about the soul. and they try to feed our
immortal hunger on rose leaves, and mix
a mint juicp OF worldly stimulants, when
nothing will satisfy us but IA drink of
tie water Of the well Of Bethlehem. which
is at the Catp." They try to starve us on
husks. when the Fathers banquet is
ready. and tie best ring is taken from the
casket, and the sweetest harp is struck
for the music. and the swiftest foot is al
ready lifted for the dance. They patronize
heaven and abolish hell, and try to meas
ure eternity with their hour glass, and
tho throne of the great God with their
yard stick! / abhor it. l tell you the
old Gospel we'll is a captured well. l
pray God that there may he somewhere
in the elect host three anonted men.
with courage enough to go forth i'll the
strength of the Omnipotent God, with the
Glittering swords of truth, to hew the way
back again to that old well. think the
tide is turning, and that the old Gospel is
to take its place again in the family, and
in the university, and in the legislative
hall. Men have tried worldly philoso-
phies, and have found out that they do
not give any comfort; and that they drop
an arc tic midnight upon the death pillow.
They fail when there is a dead chill
in thu house; and when the soul comes
to leap into the fathonless ocean of eter-
nifty. they give to the man not so much
as broken spar to cling to. Depend
upon il, that well will come into our POS